Automated Elections 2010
Posted: May 11, 2010 Filed under: Thoughts and Ideas | Tags: 2010 elections, automated elections, election, pila, queue, smartmatic Leave a comment »The Philippines’ first automated elections is over just a few hours ago. In the past years, we are using manual counting of ballots, and the voting process takes only few minutes to less than an hour. Now, it took me 4 hours lined up in a queue (some under direct sunlight) before I can cast my vote.
7:00 am I woke up, expecting a hassle-free election just like the previous years.
8:00 am I went to the “precint”, which in reality is an elementary school. Looked at my Voter’s ID for my Precint number and matched it to the Cluster number posted in the walls of the school. Hmm… it seems like at least 7 precint numbers are combined in a “cluster”
8:15 am I searched for my queue and to my horror, IT WAS VERY LONG.
9:00 am The queue is moving at a snail’s pace. I said to myself that if I still haven’t finished voting when it reached 12 noon, Ill give up and go back home.
9:48 am Still a long way to go.
Looong line at covered court
Lined up under the sun
The queue even reached the second floor of the building
10:00 am I finally reached the covered court. At least now I don’t have to worry about passing out due to heatstroke.
Shade... at last
10:10 I am almost at the end of the queue in the covered court…
Queue everywhere!
People getting impatient
Just a little more...
10:30 am I am now queued on the other side of the covered court. The line now is for entering the voting rooms. I thought I can finish this early because the line is very near to the rooms. I was wrong.
The final queue
People ignoring the heat of the sun just to vote
Minutes passed but still the queue is very very slow. Later, we found out that some “important” people in society are bypassing the line and are queuing ahead of the rest of the “masses”. Some of the “logic” used by these “important” people are
“I am a doctor and I have a patient waiting…”
“I have to accompany my lola so she can finish early…”
11:15 am I am so close to the voting rooms but still the queue is really slow. People from the back of the line are getting impatient and angry, and they are arguing with the Poll Watchers about the organization of the queue.
So near yet so far...
11:40 am The voting rooms can now be clearly seen. At last!
Just a little more patience
The very "organized" line prone to "singitan"
The queue towards the voting rooms; the connecting queue still waiting at the covered court
11:50 am I am now outside the voting rooms and can now see the inside. Seniors are taking their time shading the ballot, maybe they are still not accustomed to the new system.
A voter passing the ballot to a BEI for entering into the PCOS machine
A voter verifies his number in the Voter's List
Guidelines for shading the egg-shaped indicator
12:05 pm My turn to vote. At last! Even though its a few minutes late, I can’t go back home now. 
The loooooong ballot symbolizing the looooooong queue we had to endure
And so after they dirtied my finger with the indelible ink, my task is complete. Its weird, that even after submitting myself to four hours of heat and desperation, I felt light and contented because I finally fulfilled one of my main duties to society.
In the end...
In the end, the President I wanted to take the office did not gain favor to the majority of the people.
Is this all a wasted effort? Maybe. I voted not because of my emotions and because of my “intellectual” research of their qualifications, but because of personal experience under their rule. And for me, no poll, survey, or fact sheet can compare to the weight of personal experience. An experience I so wanted to share to the rest of the country.
Phoenix
Posted: April 28, 2010 Filed under: Thoughts and Ideas Leave a comment »Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,–
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
OH SHI- 06: 11 Simple Ways To Avoid Burnout
Posted: April 1, 2010 Filed under: OH SHI- | Tags: burnout, seth simonds, stress Leave a comment »The purpose of the Overly Helpful Self Help Initiative (OH SHI) series is to help individuals discover their inner selves and spark a new sense of purpose in life. The articles posted here are not written by Marvs, and the author’s name and contact will be indicated in the article.
By Seth Simonds
Are you exhausted? Annoyed?
Ready to throw in the towel on something that once made you leap out of bed with joy every morning?
I know that feeling well. It’s one I suffered from often in the past and still encounter occasionally. It typically signals an impending burnout.
Not the type of burnout you get from dropping your 93 Honda Civic into 3rd gear at 6,000 rpm’s. The type of burnout that makes you avoid work, question the value of your existence, and eat large quantities of Oreo cookies while watching bad television.
How can you avoid burnout and stay in a productive rhythm? Here are 11 ways you can start safeguarding your life against burnout:
1. Schedule regular social activities
Remember when you used to spend time with people you were neither working with nor sleeping with? You watched movies, ate meals, played games, and went on trips. You were active and you had fun!
You can regain some of that emotional fulfillment by contacting some of your old pals and scheduling regular activities. It doesn’t need to be anything crazy. Sure, rafting in Alaska would be fun but a monthly brunch with people you don’t see every day will do just fine. The point of this exercise is to expand your social horizon and crush the feeling that you’re stuck doing the same thing every day.
2. Follow a fitness plan
Why we give up exercise in order to sit in a chair and work for an extra hour at a lower level of intensity is beyond me. I used to do it myself. I dealt with stress by eating and worked instead of working out. The result? Not only did I burn out but I got really chubby, too!
If you want to avoid burnout, resurrect that New Year’s Resolution and figure out what it takes to get you exercising on a regular basis. Apart from all the physical benefits of exercise, you’ll enjoy the mental satisfaction of knowing that you’re taking good care of yourself again.
3. Pursue a hobby
Pick a hobby that has little or nothing to do with what you spend most of your week doing and pursue it with passion! A hobby that uses an entirely different skill set can provide your heart and mind with a satisfying break from the weekly grind and set you on a good path for increased productivity.
You probably won’t even need to worry about picking a new hobby out. The one you abandoned when you sold your soul to the work week is waiting for you to return. Shine up those golf clubs, get out the fishing gear, or buy a new pair of boxing gloves and get moving!
4. Volunteer
Nothing brightens the soul or warms the senses like giving to another for no reason other than to give. If you’re feeling run down by life, I implore you to seek out somebody less fortunate than yourself and work to help them.
Reach out to your local soup kitchen or professional organization and ask for referrals to local places that need your help. They’ll be glad to get you started and you’ll soon forget about badly you thought you had it!
5. Write a manifesto
Have you forgotten what you want out of life? It’s easy to lose track of time and even easier to forget about what makes us glad to be alive. What can you do to bring back that focus? Take a day or perhaps an entire weekend and write a manifesto, a declaration of purpose, for yourself.
The process will give you focus as you put your intentions into writing. You’ll also discover that stepping back and looking at your life as a whole has a way of putting the stresses of the moment into perspective.
6. Ask for help
This is a tough one, especially if you’re a resourceful I’ll-do-it-on-my-own type of person like me. But it’s worth the time it takes to ask for help making sense of something that’s been dragging you down. It’s worth the embarrassment of admitting that you can’t do something on your own to really get help.
Whether your struggle is with a particular part of a project or with something general, like time management, asking for help will get you to a solution faster than you could ever hope to alone. If you want to avoid burnout, you’ll need to swallow your pride on occasion and reach out for help.
7. Make others laugh
Humor keeps us sane even through the most stressful of circumstances. Laughter is fun and a great way to reduce stress. Even better, finding ways to make others laugh doesn’t just reduce stress for all involved. It allows you to begin viewing yourself as a source of fun and laughter in your social or work group.
You’ll find it hard to be glum and entertain unhappy thoughts when the people around you are excited and happy to be near you. There’s no need to be a genius comedian. Start out by learning a few good jokes and add as you go!
8. Make an escape list
An “escape list” is a list of everything you’d need to do in order to escape a situation that’s driving you nuts. In a work context, your escape list might include things like turning in a final presentation or asking for a raise. It might also include smaller things like submitting your resume to a new opportunity or drafting a letter of resignation!
You might never follow up on the items in your escape list but the process of writing one will help clarify in your mind that you are not truly stuck. You have options. Perhaps not the best or most fun options, but you are certainly not stuck.
9. Embrace a morning ritual
Are you starting your day on the wrong foot by waking up late, rushing about, and skipping out the door at the last minute? Try slowing down your morning instead. Set your alarm a few minutes earlier than usual and spend the “extra” time sitting in a sunny spot in your living room with a cup of coffee and a good book.
As you slowly add more to your morning, you’ll develop a fierce attachment to “your” time. Why? Because you’ve chosen to start your day with a focus on taking care of yourself instead of busting out of bed like a bomb squad.
10. Stop making excuses
Is everything that’s dragging you down right now because of something your boss, partner, friend, or client did? Getting caught up in how much everybody else is screwing up will put you on the fast track to gray hair and a stupendous burnout.
The fix? Accept responsibility for your part of the problems that plague you. Then start digging your way out. Once you’ve given up on blaming others you’ll start seeing more of the good in your life and the sordid claws of desperate solitary thought will no longer draw you down.
11. Be accountable
Accountability is something we’re all familiar with but rarely put into useful practice. You can use accountability to drive your personal development and avoid burnout. The trick is find somebody you can trust to give the down and dirty on what you’re trying to do and how you’re moving forward.
For best results, have your accountability partner NOT be a relative or somebody you’re dating. They typically won’t have the capacity for objective review of your progress. People who love you will often make excuses for you and you want to avoid excuses at all costs.
“Accountability breeds response-ability.” – Stephen R Covey
Avoiding burnout is a matter of constant vigilance and regular maintenance. What are you doing to avoid it?
The Five Stages of Acceptance
Posted: March 22, 2010 Filed under: Nature | Tags: acceptance, emocat, grief 2 Comments »Denial
Denial
“I feel fine.”
“This can’t be happening, not to me.”
Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of situations and individuals that will be left behind after death.
Anger
Anger
“Why me? It’s not fair!”
“How can this happen to me?”
“Who is to blame?”
Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Any individual that symbolizes life or energy is subject to projected resentment and jealousy.
Bargaining
Bargaining
“Just let me live to see my children graduate.”
“I’ll do anything for a few more years.”
“I will give my life savings if…”
The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the individual is saying, “I understand I will die, but if I could just have more time…”
Depression
Depression
“I’m so sad, why bother with anything?”
“I’m going to die… What’s the point?”
“I miss my loved one, why go on?”
During the fourth stage, the dying person begins to understand the certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the dying person to disconnect oneself from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer up an individual who is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed.
Acceptance
Acceptance
“It’s going to be okay.”
“I can’t fight it, I may as well prepare for it.”
This final stage comes with peace and understanding of the death that is approaching. Generally, the person in the fifth stage will want to be left alone. Additionally, feelings and physical pain may be non-existent. This stage has also been described as the end of the dying struggle.
All images are not edited in any way and are taken in a span of 15 minutes. Emocat is emo (///_-)
OH SHI- 05: In The Eyes of a Dog
Posted: March 17, 2010 Filed under: OH SHI- | Tags: canine style, craig harper, self help Leave a comment »The purpose of the Overly Helpful Self Help Initiative (OH SHI) series is to help individuals discover their inner selves and spark a new sense of purpose in life. The articles posted here are not written by Marvs, and the author’s name and contact will be indicated in the article.
By Craig Harper
It must be morning; I’m hungry.
Then again, I’m always hungry, so it could really be any time.
I can hear the shower and feel the sun on my back, so I’m guessing the Boss is awake.
I lift my head off my bed and look down the passage.
I want a shower too.
Sometimes I try and get in but he won’t let me.
Boring.
He’s not so happy in the mornings any more.
He used to be, but things have changed.
I think it’s stress.
Not really sure what that is, but I know it’s not good.
It’s a human thing.
I’ve heard him talk about it on the phone.
Don’t really know what a phone is either, but I know they’re good to chew.
Chewing’s one of my favourite things.
In the old days we wrestled every morning.
He’d pull my ears and I’d jump on his head.
These days, not so much.
Before he went to work, we’d play ball.
After work too.
He’d throw, I’d fetch.
He’d throw, I’d fetch.
Forever.
What an amazing game.
Such fun.
He’d laugh and talk human. I’d growl.
I’d laugh if I could.
Mostly, I’d just wag my tail.
I think it’s sad that humans don’t have tails.
Sometimes he’d lose focus, so I would nudge him.
Maybe a little nip on the hand just to keep his head in the game.
How much fun can one Golden Retriever and one human have?
But lately he seems grumpy.
Sometimes, I wonder if he still loves me.
I lick him anyway because he’s my favourite human in the world.
I get so excited to see him.
When he hugs me, my tail wags all by itself.
I wonder why my kisses don’t make him happy like they used to.
In the good old days, we would walk to the park every day.
We’d hang out with other dogs and humans.
I mostly played with Kelvin the fat Labrador and the Boss would laugh with Kelvin’s human; a female who smelled like vanilla.
I licked her once.
She didn’t taste so good.
We don’t walk together much these days.
And when we do, he talks on the phone.
I hate that phone.
I’m gonna eat it when he’s not looking.
I liked it more when we lived in the first house.
The little one.
Three houses ago.
He played with me the most in that house.
I loved that place.
He was happier and he didn’t yell at me for getting on the couch.
Or chewing his shoes.
We used to watch TV together on the couch every night.
Well, I slept, he watched.
He would rest his hand on my head.
I like that.
Now we live in a big house, with a big stupid couch.
A stupid couch for humans only.
Not dogs.
I don’t like the big house or the big couch.
He makes me stay down on the stupid slippery polished floor boards.
The other day I slid into the table and hurt my nose.
Stupid floor boards.
When I was a puppy we used to go everywhere together.
We would both ride in the old station wagon and I would put my head out the window.
Or on his lap.
It was the most fun ever.
I don’t know why humans don’t do it.
Head out the window, that is.
Don’t they know?
No more head out the window action for me these days though.
Mr Serious has a new fancy schmancy car.
Apparently, it’s a dog-free zone too.
On the rare occasion that I do get a ride, I have to lie on three blankets.
And no wind in my face.
What’s the point of that?
Like having a bone you can’t chew.
Stupid.
We used to go to the beach every weekend in that old station wagon.
We surfed together.
Well, he surfed, I chased seagulls, played in the waves and rolled in the sand.
He liked talking to the girl humans who wanted to play with me.
They only talked to him because I was there.
Sometimes he got kisses but I always got more.
On the way home I would put my wet, sandy, hairy body on the front seat and he was happy I was next to him.
I loved that car too.
Those were the days.
We haven’t done that since I was four.
Five years ago.
Too busy apparently.
Too busy being successful and important to have fun with me.
Glad I’m not successful, it doesn’t look like much fun.
But I’m so adorable, I don’t understand why he doesn’t miss me.
In fact, I don’t really understand him sometimes.
He’s meant to be smarter than me but lately, I’m not so sure.
I know I’m just a dog and I don’t really understand a lot of human stuff, but I do know about fun and happiness.
He’s rarely happy these days.
And he’s always too tired to do anything.
Even when I pull his sleeve.
Or lick his face.
If he got rid of the stupid slippery floor, the dumb couch, the dumb car and played with me more, then he would be happy.
Me too.
I used to sleep on the end of his bed.
Used to.
(heavy sigh)
But now he has a new dog-free bed too.
Of course.
It’s expensive and apparently I moult.
Whatever that means.
I hate that bed.
I chew the legs when he’s not around.
Next year we’re moving to another house.
A bigger one.
Maybe that will make him happy.
Hope so.
Doubt it though.
If I could speak, I’d tell him that too.
I don’t get the big house thing; there’s only him and me.
Us dogs don’t really care how big our kennel is, we just want to be near our human.
Anyway, I’m very excited about today.
I’m gonna hang out with Charlie for a while.
He’s my buddy from over the fence.
We made a hole so we can visit each other.
I’m not really sure what kinda dog he is, but it doesn’t matter.
He’s pretty smart but not quite as handsome as me.
We do fun stuff together every day.
Mostly we chase birds.
I hate those birds.
And we chew old lady Jacobs’ laundry baskets.
We’ve eaten three of them.
Baskets not birds.
Then I might lie in the sun.
And chew my foot for a while.
I might have a power-nap too.
Chasing birds makes me tired.
I reckon the Boss should lie in the sun with me.
And chew his foot for a while.
It’s relaxing.
It might help with his stress.
Whatever that is.
The Duty of Leadership
Posted: February 24, 2010 Filed under: Thoughts and Ideas | Tags: duty, leadership, manager, npo, sucked in the system Leave a comment »This was a very interesting post from one of my comrades from the New Pacific Order. I was amazed that this phenomenon does not only happen in real life, but in online communities as well.
Communication breaks down in all online discourse, especially in stratified communities like ours. Human language is deeply nuanced, and its complexities are often lost in the mind of the reader. What one may read as a playful comment, others may read a cruel remark, cold cynicism, etc. It is a matter of familiarity. This is exacerbated by the hierarchy presented by an alliance. New members are often left in awe of older, more highly decorated members of the group. The new members may be talented, or have creative new ideas, but they are afraid that their place in the structure of the group is too unimportant to interrupt what they perceive as the greater workings of their superiors. This is true in all hierarchical groups, large and small.
For example, I was the Emperor of a 50 nation alliance for some time. I did my best to be a warm, friendly dictator; I tried to work personally with members at all levels, tried to stay among them, to keep myself grounded. But the trappings of office and the duties inherent in my position set me aside from other members. Despite my best efforts, many still felt an air of institutional coldness. My Officers understood. They had been with me since the beginning; we were friends. What young nations perceived as a cold and distant leader, they still knew as their wartime brother, their comrade-in-arms. Keep in mind, this was a small alliance by most standards… I can only imagine the effect is multiplied in a group as large as the Order.
The cruel truth is that this is the burden of leadership. One cannot lead transparently. No matter a leader’s desire to be among his people, to retain humanity and earthliness, the nature of hierarchy does not allow it. Inevitably, leaders become separate from the day-to-day. The key is to accept that this is the fate of the powerful, and use it to your advantage. The aura of mystery which envelops you is a natural result of the perceptions of others, not any particular actions on your part.
Accept your burden, but be mindful not to be swept up in it. Though you may feel estranged from your earthly bonds, or your underlings may view you as though atop an insurmountable fortress, you *are* human. You have the same secret weaknesses buried within you that exist within every other human. So do not despair; you cannot help but be human. Your people will understand. They know the truth, even if they are not conscious of it.
Obviously this is not a suggestion that communication between leaders and regular members should not be constantly examined and improved, rather that it is impossible to perfect such communication, especially online. Don’t let it eat away at you. Your work will speak for you, and even if they do not hear your words, they will feel your hand. That is the duty of leadership.
- Nihilist Dandy
This happened in my previous job as well. An employee starts out as a development engineer, the management is impressed with his contributions that the employee gets promoted and was assigned management tasks.
The new manager adjusts to his new role, but since he also was once a development engineer, he thinks he can change things, he thinks his management style will be more “suitable” for the engineers. After all, he was once in their ranks and he knows what the engineers want in a manager.
Time goes by, the new manager is torn between the demands of the upper management and his “duty” to the engineers. At first he is annoyed, dismayed, and finally he feels powerless to change things. The engineers slowly begin to distance themselves to the manager, and thinks that another one was “sucked into the system”.
That is the reality of leadership.
OH SHI- 04: Accept What Is – And Be Happy!
Posted: February 15, 2010 Filed under: OH SHI- Leave a comment »The purpose of the Overly Helpful Self Help Initiative (OH SHI) series is to help individuals discover their inner selves and spark a new sense of purpose in life. The articles posted here are not written by Marvs, and the author’s name and contact will be indicated in the article.
By Karl Moore
“Happiness is a function of accepting what is.” – Werner Erhard
How many of us fight against what is happening in our lives?
In our family? In society? In the world around us?
You get fined for parking illegally. We’ve all done it at some point or another. You’ve checked it out, you were wrong, and there’s little you can do about it.
Do you just shrug it off, accept what is, and continue happily with your day?
Or, more realistically, do you moan about it for the next three days – sharing your woes with everyone you meet? Do you let it put you in a bad mood? Anger you? Taint your day?
If you’re like most people, you do the latter.
And that’s just a simple example.
You might be fighting against the way your teenage son’s quest for freedom. Or society’s uncomfortable take on your sexuality. Or the way you look.
Or, quite simply, you might generally be fighting against the cards life has dealt you.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take action to change the world around you. With discussion, or protests, or dieting.
But does all of that pent-up anger and resentment really serve anything?
Rather than fighting it internally, wouldn’t it be much better just to accept what is first – and then change what you want, if you still want to?
The world is a rough place. Sometimes things can get pretty crappy. Make no mistake. And when it rains, it pours. And the people that live here? A lot of them are pretty foolish. So, I’m on your side here. You’re right.
But it’s pointless holding onto emotions that are holding you back.
By not accepting (or welcoming, or embracing, or whatever other word you may prefer) what is, you are pushing against what exists right now. That causes tension, which results in stress, limitation, and a lack of clarity.
By accepting, welcoming, embracing what is, you clear all of your emotions. Your thoughts become clearer. You become happier. You experience more freedom.
If you can change things, after accepting them, you’ll have a sharper mind and more energy to do so. If you can’t change things, or if you’re trying to change other people, stop immediately – realize that you simply can’t, and move onto something else.
Pointless worrying – there’s nothing you can do about it. Shrug, that’s life, smile.
Just accept what is – and you will be happy.
My cat is plotting to kill me!
Posted: January 26, 2010 Filed under: Nature | Tags: cat, kichan, lolcat, neko, ninja Leave a comment »
Kitteh planning the attack when I got home
Kitteh attacking as soon as I got seated!
Kitteh practicing her ninja skills to commence attack while we are asleep.
And it maybe so…
PKP: Aurora RoadTrip – Mobile Edition
Posted: January 13, 2010 Filed under: pkp, Travels 1 Comment »The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Ok, so you have four idiots who want a roadtrip, a Hyundai Getz (digs?), and two JPEG images of Nueva Ecija and Aurora maps as your guide. What do you get? A stressful but really enjoyable venture into the unknown.
The PKP team decided to go to Aurora province in Eastern Philippines for their first trip of the year. No one really knew how to get there, no reservations were made for the accommodation, and no one has a slight idea on what to expect on the trip. The only thing we knew is that we wanted to go to Aurora with Lily (the Getz).
After meeting somewhere in Quezon City, we started our adventure by going to the North Luzon Expressway and the SCTEX. We left the expressway at La Paz, Tarlac and then proceeded eastward towards Nueva Ecija. At lunchtime we arrived at Cabanatuan City and ate at one of the restaurants along the National Road. Frankly the meals they offered were not delicious.
Start your engines! Boss Erol driving the first stretch.
Moving on, we were deliberating whether we will go to the Pantabangan Dam or not in northern Nueva Ecija, but in the end we decided not to go in order to save time and to ensure that we arrive at Aurora before nighttime. Since we are not going to the dam, we headed towards Palayan (the capital) to take the Bongabon route towards Aurora.
But as we drove our way through Nueva Ecija, we noticed that we are headed towards the town of Talavera! The path we are taking is opposite the path towards Palayan. But since Cabanatuan is already far behind, we decided to push through and proceed to the northern route towards Aurora, via Pantabangan town.
Lily parked at Pantabangan
We stopped somewhere in Pantabangan, ate some local isaw, and then continued our journey. The dam area is visible but we decided not to go there because we may not have much time.
Ihaw at isaw sa Pantabangan
After hours of driving and after passing through a one way road above a dam, we finally reached Aurora province. It is already getting dark and the cool breeze is starting to chill us so after some picture taking, we continued on towards Baler, where we will spend the night.
The roads in Aurora near the border to the other provinces are really rough. They are not made of cement/asphalt but it looked like someone just dumped small rocks and clay and then they called it a road. Lily, the faithful and still reliable Getz had a hard time navigating through rough terrain and uphill slopes. Really, we should have brought a 4×4 vehicle. It will make things much easier.
We finally reached Aurora province!
At 7 pm, we are still driving in the rough road. The road passes through the Sierra Madre mountain range so it is full of zig-zag turns. At around 7:30 pm we finally arrived at the town of Maria Aurora, where we asked for directions on how to get to Baler. Luckily, from Maria Aurora, the road is already paved so the drive went smoothly.
After arriving at Baler, we refueled and then asked for directions on where we can spend the night. They pointed us to Bay’s Inn resort, located just in front of the beach. Perfect. It was already dark so we just ate our dinner at the resort, drank 3 liters of Red Horse and then went to sleep. I was surprised that the food there is quite cheap compared to other resorts I have been to.
Hindi pa ako lasheng....
The next morning, the view of the beach is really tempting. There are many surfers who enjoyed the waves. That was the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean from a beachfront.
After eating our breakfast, we decided to try surfing. No one really knew how to do it, but the surfers looked like they were really enjoying themselves so why not give it a try? We rented two surfboards for 200 Php/hour each. Cheaper compared to the surf boards in Zambales. And the waves here are really nice too. Sweet.
Normally, you would want to hire an instructor if you still do not know how to surf. But we decided to do it the PKP way by doing it ourselves. In short, nag urag-uragunan lang.
The waves are really violent, and I mostly found myself being tossed under the water. I had a hard time positioning the board because the waves keep on coming and coming. If a wave crashed on you and you are still recovering another will surely come and hit you again. Luckily the water is quite shallow else I would have drowned then. A tiring but definitely fun experience.
Erol and Lily quality time
At around lunchtime we checked out of the resort, and headed back home. Since we do not want to experience the rough road to Pantabangan, we headed towards the Bongabon route instead, hoping that the roads there are better.
Bridge somewhere in Aurora (Baler - Bongabon)
We were wrong. For me, it was worse than the Pantabangan route. Not only is the road rough, but it is also very narrow, and the side that we are driving is the side where the cliff is! One wrong move and we will plunge in the forests below. Cool. The town of Bongabon is 77 kilometers away, not that far, but that is if you are not driving at 20kph.
WTF Dead End?
After some rough experience in the road, we were greeted by a broken bridge! WTF, a dead end?
Crossing the wooden bridge of death
We asked a local who is passing by and he said that we can use the makeshift wooden bridge to cross the stream. Nice. We got out of the vehicle to make it lighter or else we risk breaking the wooden bridge.
Collapsed bridge en route to Bongabon
I was wondering what the hell happened to this bridge. It looked like it was bombed or something. Which reminded me, there are numerous reports of the New People’s Army operating at Aurora province.
Slow and steady
The wooden bridge looked tough anyway, and Lily made it to the other side safe and sound.
One wrong move and the trip is over.
If the bridge collapsed and we wrecked the car, I have no idea how we are going to go back home in Manila. This place is very remote and there are only a few trucks going through this road. My guess is the trucks are not passing through the wooden bridge but they cross the stream directly.
Toti the Explorer doing his job
After we made it to the other side, we moved on. But since the road is really f***ed up, our navigator had to sometimes guide the car or else we risk being stuck in the mud or falling in the cliff.
The entire scenario
It was already dark and we are still driving in the mountain pass. There were no electric posts guiding our way, but only the sound of insects and the rustling of leaves at night. There were a few houses then and there, and I was amazed at how they were living their lives in this remote area without electricity. We passed by a DENR checkpoint, they pointed their flashlight at us and let us pass. Maybe they were there to report any illegal logging activities happening in Aurora.
After about 5 hours of navigating the rough mountain pass, we finally arrived at Bongabon. From there, the road is paved again so going back to Cabanatuan did not pose much of a problem. Our navigator instructed our driver on how to drive in a provincial highway at night. Cool.
9 pm. We finally arrived at Cabanatuan City and had our dinner.
Dinner at McDo Cabanatuan City
Throughout the trip Lily was really reliable even though there were several accidents, like hitting the bottom of the car at a parking lot, hitting it again in the rough road, driving while the hand brake is still on, and others. We were lucky we were not involved in a major accident while driving, especially since we are only using a small car.
It was already midnight when we arrived at Manila and got back home. My entire body is aching the next day and I had a fever after that, but all in all, the trip is really rewarding.
It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end – Ernest Hemingway
PKP: Traveling in a Different Way
Posted: November 17, 2009 Filed under: Travels | Tags: journey, paulo coelho, pilgrimage, pkp, travel 4 Comments »I really love to travel and explore new places. The more difficult the journey is, the more satisfying it is to finally reach the destination. It is only by seeing for ourselves what the “outside” world looks like that we gain a wider understanding of the “why”s and “how”s in our own lives.
In this post I will state my views on each of the items written by Paulo regarding his experiences in traveling.
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By Paulo Coelho
When I was very young I discovered that, for me, a journey is the best way to learn. I still have this pilgrim’s soul to this day, and have decided to relate some of the lessons I have learned, in the hopes that they will be useful to other like-minded pilgrims.
Avoid museums.
This advice may seem absurd, but let us reflect a little together: if you are in a foreign city, isn’t it far more interesting to seek out the present, than the past? Usually, people feel obliged to go to museums, because ever since they were small they have been told that traveling is a search for this type of culture. Of course museums are important, but they require time and objectivity – you need to know what it is you want to see there, otherwise you will come away with the impression that you saw several things which are fundamental to your life, but cannot remember what they were.
Before traveling to another place, you must first study at least a part of what you will expect when you reach there. Part of the excitement in a journey is finally seeing face to face what you only saw previously in post cards, books, magazines, and other materials. But it is not good to focus only on famous tourist spots, but instead try to find and discover your own “tourist spot”.
Frequent bars.
Unlike museums, this is where the life of the city can be found. Bars are not discotheques, but places where the people gather to have a drink, pass the time, and are always willing to chat. Buy a newspaper and observe the bustle of people coming and going. If someone speaks to you, strike up a conversation, however banal: one cannot judge the beauty of a path merely by looking at its entrance.
This depends on the culture and environment of the place that you are staying. Make sure you follow all of the community rules and policies so as not to get into trouble. The “bars” mentioned above does not necessarily mean the ones that only open at night, but rather the places where locals gather together and share their stories, probably near the market, a park, or a transportation station.
Be open and forward.
The best tourist guide is someone who lives there, knows everything, but doesn’t work at a travel agency. Go out into the street, choose someone you wish to speak to, and ask him or her for directions (where is such-and-such a cathedral? Where is the post office?) If this bears no fruit, try someone else – I guarantee that in the end you will find excellent company.
This is related to the previous item, where communication with the locals is a very rewarding experience. We had several experiences where strangers helped us find our way home, provided us with transportation, or let us eat lunch at their home when we had nowhere else to go. It is these types of interaction with the people that the journey becomes a rewarding and unforgettable experience (much more than the famous tourist spots).
Try and travel alone, or – if you are married – with your spouse.
It will be harder work, no one will be looking after you, but this is the only way of truly leaving your country. Group travel is just a disguised way of pretending to go abroad, where you speak your own language, obey the leader of the pack, and concern yourself more with the internal gossip of the group than with the place you are visiting.
Again it depends on the place you are going. Generally, safety is the top priority when you travel outside your “comfort zone”. Although traveling alone really gives you the chance to discover your inner strengths, as much as possible, find a companion (unless you are prepared to make that journey your last).
Don’t compare.
Don’t compare anything – not prices, nor cleanliness, nor quality of life, nor means of transport, nothing! You are not traveling in order to prove you live better than others – your search, in fact, is to find out how others live, what they have to teach, how they view reality and the extraordinary things in life.
Observing how other people live their lives can be an eye-opener for you.
Understand that everyone understands you.
Even if you don’t speak the language, don’t be afraid: I have been in many places in which there was no way of communicating with words, and I always found support, guidance, important suggestions, even girlfriends. Some people think that if you travel alone, you will go out into the street and be lost forever. All you need is the hotel card in your pocket, and – should you find yourself in extreme circumstances – take a taxi and show it to the driver.
Yes, most people will understand you, but some will definitely take advantage of your situation for their own profit. If this is the case, make sure you have lots of extra cash to spend during unexpected expenses/situations.
Don’t buy much.
Spend your money on things which you won’t have to carry: good theater, restaurants, walks. Nowadays, with the global market and the Internet, you can have everything you want without having to pay for excess baggage.
Try to buy only small items that you can easily carry and make sure that you cannot buy it elsewhere! It is a bit frustrating to buy a “souvenir” item just to find that you can buy it at home from one of the souvenir shops. Do not take flora or fauna as souvenirs! Your memories with the place is the greatest souvenir you can have, so make sure you make good ones!
Don’t try and see the world in a month.
It is better to stay in one city for four or five days, that visit five cities in a week. A city is like a capricious woman, who needs time to be seduced and reveal herself completely.
In today’s busy world, more often it is impossible to take it slow and savor the place. The farther the place or the more difficult it is to go to your destination, the longer your stay should be. No one wants to go to a faraway place only to get back home very tired and all of the good times spent in the journey gone because of it.
A journey is an adventure.
Henry Miller said that it is far more important to discover a church no one has heard of, than go to Rome and feel obliged to visit the Sistine Chapel, with two hundred thousand tourists shouting all around you. Go to the Sistine Chapel, but also get lost in the streets, wander down alleyways, feel free to look for something, without knowing what it is. I swear you will find it and that it will change your life.
The most important thing when you travel: find your own tourist spot!
